


in a heartbeat

by plinth_of_life



Category: In a Heartbeat (Short Film), Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Coming of Age, Gay, Inspired by In a Heartbeat (Short Film), LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Male Homosexuality, One Shot, Teen Romance, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 16:24:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20100148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plinth_of_life/pseuds/plinth_of_life
Summary: Dan Howell is a closeted teenager, bullied for his sexuality. When he falls in love with his high school classmate Phil Lester, he loses control of his heart.Inspired by the short film "In a Heartbeat" (https://youtu.be/2REkk9SCRn0)





	in a heartbeat

Dan Howell was no athlete but he knew how to run. After a decade of incessant bullying, he mastered the art of escaping threatening people. But this time, he was not running from a bully. He had spotted the boy who made butterflies flutter in his stomach and he had to hide or else his gut may send him flying into the sky. Dan spotted those bright blue eyes from a mile away and ducked behind a bush as the boy approached, hoping that he was engrossed in his book enough to not notice the trembling branches next to the path. When the coast was clear, Dan climbed up the nearest tree and peaked through the leaves, glimpsing the boy striding confidently with his book in one hand and apple in the other. He couldn’t resist gazing at those eyes, the same ones that captured Dan’s attention in English class. They reminded him of crystal blue lakes, bright and beautiful yet deep with emotion and a hint of sadness. He wished he could just understand what the boy was thinking when he fluttered his long black eyelashes and made passing eye contact with Dan during class. Those eyes filled Dan with such longing and passion yet so much fear and dread too, confirming that the words his bullies used as weapons were really true.

Dan snapped back to reality as his head collided with the tree branch above it. The boy on the path looked over his shoulder and Dan hid behind the trunk, his heart literally beating out of his chest. He tried to push it back behind his ribs but the happy pink heart burst through his blue jumper and aimed for the boy ahead. Dan attempted to pull it back but the heart was seemingly magnetic, compelled to attach to its nearest companion. It knocked the apple out of the boy’s hand and took its place as Dan raced out of the tree to retrieve it. He ran to the boy and grasped his hand.

_Phil Lester_. The name came rushing back to memory as the two boys connected. Dan stared into Phil’s eyes and a chill ran through him when he only saw fear and confusion in the boy’s face. He quickly let go of Phil’s hand but when he could not feel the heart in his grip, Dan panicked and ran circles around Phil in search of it. His hands finally grasped it but his arms had found their way around Phil’s waist in the meantime. Dan looked up to see Phil’s nose mere millimeters away from his own. He could have kissed the boy if not for the bewildered look on his face and the curious glances of the passing students around them. As another boy walked by, Dan ducked into a nearby trashcan and hoped no one saw what happened on the path. The bell rang and Dan found enough courage to peek out of the bin, hoping to get another look at Phil. However, his heart had other plans and its magnetic force had not gotten any weaker.

Dan fell out of the bin and raced down the path, flying into the air and brushing past Phil’s raven black hair. He collided with the ground as Phil entered the school unfazed. Dan followed him, opening the door and seeing Phil lying in front of his feet. His heart was brushing against Phil’s cheek and as Dan tried pulling it back, he lifted Phil’s hand and their eyes met again.

In that moment, time seemed to slow down and for the first time Dan felt safe inside this school. That was until he broke eye contact with Phil and peered around the hallway. These eyes he met stole any sense of safety Dan had found. The other students looked at the two boys with disdain and disgust. He heard scoffs and sneers, saw deep frowns and raised eyebrows, and felt utterly hopeless. Looking back at Phil caused his heart to splinter. The boy in front of him looked paler than Dan even thought possible. Phil’s face was overtaken with anxiety as he turned to look back at the mob around him. The crack in Dan’s heart widened as he pulled it apart, rushing out the door in another frantic escape.

Just like every other encounter with bullies, Dan managed to hide, this time settling behind the same tree he had climbed earlier. But unlike his previous getaways, Dan couldn’t repress this painful memory. He held tightly to one half of his broken heart and sank into deep despair, tears welling in his big brown eyes. His vision blurred at the edges but he could still make out a lanky form to his left. He quickly looked away and wiped the tears from his eyes.

Looking back up, he winced upon seeing Phil in front of him. The boy reached out his hand but Dan pulled away, still holding steadfastly to the remaining half of his heart. Phil pulled back and opened his hand, showing Dan the other half resting in his palm. Dan finally opened up his own hands and the two halves found each other as Phil’s hands gently cradled Dan’s. As Dan’s heart came back to life and settled back into his chest, Phil scooched towards the tree, resting his back against the trunk. The two boys, now shoulder to shoulder, gazed at each other, finally safe in their little refuge. Their hearts began to synchronize, beating to the same steady rhythm. The two heartbeats soon became one, forming a bond that, from that day on, could never be broken.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I recently watched this short film and absolutely loved it. The story and character designs reminded me so much of Dan and Phil that I had to write this fic. I hope you enjoyed it!


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